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Marvel’s Runaways Season 1 Episode 5: Kingdom Review

Synopsis: After their not-so-fearless leader is taken, our kids spring into action. Alex discovers long-buried secrets about his dad, as the kids uncover new truths about themselves. (TVGuide)

Writers: Rodney Barnes & Michael Vukadinovich

Director: Jeffrey W. Byrd

Rating:TV-PG

Running Time: 45minutes

Marvel’s Runaways continues its streak of being exciting, entertaining, and suspenseful in this week’s episode.

A flashback of 18 years ago, shows Geoffrey in jail. It appears his lawyer would like to meet with him, who we quickly learn is Catherine, his wife now. However, his wife isn’t the lawyer there to see him. A mysterious, odd lawyer by the name of Jonah (Julian McMahon) would like to cut a deal for $5 million with Geoff regarding property he owns. However, Geoff sees this as a business opportunity and tries to convince him to make him a partner. In order to make this deal work, Geoff had to convince his friend, Darius (DeVaughn Nixon), to plead guilty to Geoff’s crime. Yes, the SAME Darius that showed up at the construction site demanding money. With promises of taking care of his family, Darius agrees to help.

A flash-forward to the present reveals that it is Darius who has kidnapped Alex! Darius promises to show Alex what his father is truly like.

Meanwhile, Nico and Karolina are an emotional mess with Alex being kidnapped and learning the truth behind their parents’ intentions. In an attempt to find Alex, Nico takes out the staff she stole from her mother, hoping it will lead them to him. Gert and Molly also show up to help in the search.

Chase continues to bond with his dad over his invention of the fisticons. He even learns that Victor has created a unique time machine in the form of a radio that transmits messages/videos from the future. When it wouldn’t work, Victor throws the machine in frustration only to fall down in pain. He reveals to Chase that he has been diagnosed with brain cancer. When the two walk away, we see the machine begin to work and see a video of a skyline burning.

Alex soon learns that his father did not help Darius as he promised to, leaving his family penniless and helpless. In exchange for Alex’s safe return, Darius demands $1 million from Geoff. In an attempt to rescue Alex, Geoff shows up guns a blazing in an epic shootout. He still doesn’t manage to save Alex, but Alex shoots one of the kids working for Darius before being taken away.

Amidst the shootout, the girls show up after aggressively driving and following the staff’s light. The next scene was one of the most epic as it highlighted the group’s powers/abilities/strengths all within a couple minutes. Nico used the staff’s light to distract Darius, while Molly used her super-strength to pick up his car. Simultaneously, Karolina took off her church bracelet and used its force to attack, and Chase showed up with his fisticons.

In a dramatic turn of events, Geoff decides to take the kid Alex shot to use for the sacrifice. He tells Catherine to call for an emergency PRIDE meeting. Realizing what his dad is up to, Alex convinces the group to help find the kid before their parents hurt him. However, unbeknownst to the kids, the PRIDE meeting is being held at the Church of Gibborim.

After the disaster of Destiny’s sacrifice, PRIDE is able to pull off a successful sacrifice. But here came the twist we were not expecting in this episode. After everyone left, Leslie went to check in on “gross, flaky” man, who was no longer in his creepy state. In fact, he was a man, the SAME man from the beginning of the episode that went to talk to Geoff in jail. It appears he is the person behind all this, and this can only mean we will soon learn what PRIDE means. Clearly, Leslie and he have a romantic relationship and it appears he could also be Karolina’s dad! In the final moments of the episode, he tells Leslie, “I want to meet her.”

Runaways has been exceeding expectations with every episode as the mystery of PRIDE and no longer “gross, flaky” man unravels. The suspenseful storytelling, acting, and writing has been top notch and has made Runaways something to look forward to every week.